Power converters are used in a variety of electronic circuits and systems. Semiconductor packaging solutions for power converters may be configured to accommodate power transistors, a high current switch node connection between the power transistors, and an output inductor. In conventional semiconductor packages, the switch node connection between the power transistors is typically implemented using a conductive clip having a large cross-sectional area to provide a reliable, low resistance connection under high current conditions. Due to the large cross-sectional area of the conductive clip and other packaging constraints, an output inductor is generally included externally or side-by-side with the power transistors.
As advances in technology enable implementation of thinner power transistors, the semiconductor packages including the thinner power transistors have a reduced height. However, even with the reduced height, conventional approaches still adopt a planar layout by including the output inductor side-by-side with the thinner power transistors in a semiconductor package. As a result, the semiconductor package, including the thinner power transistors, and the output inductor still occupy an undesirably large area on a circuit board.